prepaid_data_sim_cardfandomcom-20200216-history
Tanzania
'Basics' Currently, 5 networks (plus further 3 on LTE) are operating in Tanzania: * Vodacom * Tigo * Airtel * Halotel '(by Viettel) * '''Zantel '(mainly in Zanzibar; merging with Tigo) In summer 2015 Zantel was aquired from Etisalat by the parent company of Tigo. So it can be expected that their networks may be merged. A 5th license was given out to Vietnam-backed Viettel which started in October 2015 under the brand name of 'Halotel. ' Coverage is generally less than in neighbouring Kenya or Uganda. 2G/GSM is on 900 and 1800 MHz and 3G in some larger villages and towns on 2100 MHz on all providers plus 900 MHz on Airtel. While operators have so far been able to deploy mobile networks to up to 97% of the population, only around 1/3 of them of are able to access 3G networks in the country, so that only 5% are using 3G/4G connections in 2016. In 2017 the regulator TCRA fined all 5 operators for their poor quality of services. 4G/LTE has been started so far only with Tigo in Dar es Salaam on 800 MHz, with Vodacom on 1800 MHz and Zantel in Zanzibar (only Stone Town) on 1800 MHz. Airtel and Halotel are launching 4G/LTE soon. In 2018 new spectrum on 700 MHz (Band 28) was auctioned and won by Vodacom and still unknown Azam Telecom owned by a Tanzanian businessman for 4G roll-out. From 2012 new operators have started to roll out 4G/LTE only: * '''Smile * TTCL * Smart These operators are of little value for travellers as they mostly center on the capital only and don't have any 2G or 3G coverage. That's why they are shortly mentioned at the end of this article. SIM cards can be purchased pretty much everywhere. Like in most of Eastern Africa, the mobile phone networks doubles as a payment system. So you find a lot of places to top-up your SIM card for other purposes as well. Be aware that your SIM card needs to be registered on your name by law. Fake phones The local regulator TCRA is fighting against unregistered SIM cards as well as "fake phones", both obviously without relevant success in spite of frequent awareness campaings. Up to now it's still easy to buy mobile lines for as little as TSH 500 (US$ 0.20) and without any form of registration even this is mandatory by law since 2010. Providers are now instructed to stop using unauthorised mobile line distributors. Authorised distributors, will have to register their permanent residence and taxpayer identification number (TIN). In 2016 the TCRA has fined the six leading mobile phone operators TSH 552 million (US$ 258,000) for laxity in SIM card registration. TCRA is also committed to removing "fake phones" that have been flooding the market which are supposed to cause security, economic, and health risks. Smartphones are mainly the target in the fake deals. They prohibited importation of all kinds of fake mobile handsets. The ban takes effect on June 17, 2016. A Central Equipment Identification Register (CEIR) is established for International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers (IMEIs) with numbers of all blacklisted mobile handsets in the country. Whenever a cellphone is reported as fake or stolen, the phone's IMEI number will go into the CEIR, supposedly making the device unusable in any network worldwide. Many handsets are deemed fake if their IMEI number is also not recognised by an international database. TCRA switched off 1.8 million invalid IMEIs in 2016. Any user caught duplicating IMEIs risks a fine of TSH 10 mio. (US$ 13,362), 30 years in jail, or both, in accordance with the new Electronic and Postal Communications Act. Biometric registration and limit on SIM cards In 2019 Tanzania plans to launch biometric SIM registration nationwide on 1 May, to improve security in the country. The exercise follows a pilot project in seven regions launched in March 2018. The new system requires customers to provide their fingerprints, as well as proof of identity like a passport to register their SIM card. In addition, the number of mobile phone lines an individual can own will be limited to one per network operator, unless permission for multiple ownership is received from regulator TCRA. The TCRA has already switched off around 3.7 million SIM cards and plans to disconnect a further 15.3 million, following the conclusion of its biometric SIM registration programme on 20 January 2020. 'Vodacom' Vodacom, jointly owned by Vodafone and South African Telekom, is the market leader in Tanzania with a 32% share. It has the widest coverage in the country (coverage map) for the highest rates. In 2016 4G/LTE was started in Dar es Salaam on 1800 MHz (Band 3), now spread to a few more places. In 2018 it won spectrum on 700 MHz (B28) for 4G with the obligation to cover 60% by 2021 and 90% by 2024. Availability Their prepaid SIM card is available at many places like their stores (locator) for TSH 500-5000. To use 4G/LTE you need a new 4G-enabled SIM card. Data feature packages Default rate outside of packages is TSH 282 per MB. These bundles called Cheka Internet are offered and are valid on 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE: To purchase a bundle, type *149*01#. Customers will not be able to purchase multiple bundles. Customers will be allowed to purchase a second bundle after volume allocated in the first bundle has been consumed. Once customer consumes volume within bundle, he will be billed at out-of-volume tariff till bundle validity end-date. To check your internet balance type *149*60#. For WhatsApp use only, these bundles are given out: * for 24 hours: TSH 1000 * for 7 days: TSH 2000 * for 30 days: TSH 3000 More info * APN: internet * Website: http://www.vodacom.co.tz Tigo Tigo has become the 2nd provider in Tanzania by market shares when it overtook Airtel in 2016. It's run by the Millcom Group that acquired the 4th provider Zantel (see below) in 2015, but markets both brands separately. Tigo has a market share of 28%. It was the first to start 4G/LTE on 800 MHz (B 20) in Dar es Salaam and is available for prepaid (coverage map) in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Dodoma, Tanga, Arusha with plans to extend connectivity to Mwanza, Zanzibar (Stone Town) and Kilimanjaro (Moshi). By 2017 it has been spread to 23 towns so far. Tigo has received approval from local antitrust authorities to combine with its sister company Zantel. The process to transfer ownership of shares in Zantel to Tigo has now been completed and both companies will now combine their operations in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, with the integration process set to begin in 2020. In a press release Tigo said the move would enable improved coverage and better quality of service for customers in both urban and rural areas of Tanzania. Availability Their 3G SIM cards are available for around TSH 1000 on the streets or in their customer care centres (list) and their 4G LTE SIM cards are available for TSH 5000 in their customer care centres. You can top up at a lot of places. 'Data feature packs' Internet outside of packages is TSH 40 per MB. These bundles called Internet Packages are offered for 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE: To purchase type *148*00# and choose Internet Packs. Free apps include unlimited use of Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram. On other plans, it can be added: * for 24 hours, max. 500 MB: TSH 1,000 * for 7 days, max. 1 GB: TSH 2,000 * for 30 days, max. 3 GB: TSH 4,000 'More info' *APN: tigoweb/tigolte *Website: http://www.tigo.co.tz/ 'airtel' Airtel by Indian Bharti Airtel has falllen back as 3rd provider in the country. It has now a market share of 27% and a lower coverage than Vodacom, at slightly lower rates. If you are going to the game parks in Northern Tanzania, particularly Ngorongoro and Serengeti, as of 2015 Airtel's coverage is superior to that of the other carriers. 4G/LTE was launched in 2019 in Dodoma, Dar es Salaam and the Coast Region Availability SIM card is available for around TSH 1,000 - 2,000. Buy it under an umbrella on the street or in their stores (list). 'Data feature packs' Default rate for data outside bundles is 125 TSH per MB and if your data benefit depletes within validity period, you can browse for 40 TSH per MB. For data, you need to add packages called Yatosha Internet: Activation is by *149*99# then select 5 SMATIKA YATOSHA INTERNET. For night use (12am-6am), you can add a bundle at TSH 1500 with 10 GB data by *149*99# > Special Offer > Amsha Popo (option 3). 'More info' * APN: internet * Website: https://www.airtel.co.tz/ Halotel ''' In 2015 Halotel started backed by Vietnamese Viettel. It's their 4th venture in Africa after Mozambique, Cameroon and Burundi under different brand names. In Tanzania its brand is called Halotel and covers already more than 95% of the population in 26 provinces by 2500 antenna towers on 2G or 3G in 2017. They've reached a market share of 10% now and are planning to launch 4G/LTE. '''Availability The SIM card called HALO SIM is sold at their stores and sales outlets (list ) for TSH 1000. Recharges are sold all over. Enter *104*#. Check balance by *102# University SIM cards are also sold at various locations for around TSH 5000. The University SIM offers better data bundles at lower costs than the standard HALO SIM, but you are supposed to be a student which is not always enforced. Halotel has better 3G coverage on Zanzibar than Zantel, which works only in Stone Town. Data feature packages Data by default is a low TSH 30.72 per MB. They offer a huge variety of packages: To activate a package for a HALO SIM, enter *148*66# and choose the package. Bundles marked (*) are called unlimited and will be throttled only when used up and not cut off. For night users they offer two nighttime packages (valid midnight - 6am) in one night: * 1 GB: 500 TSH * 10 GB: 1,500 TSH On Saturdays and Sundays their weekend packs are valid: * 275 MB: 700 TSH * 3.686 GB: 3,000 TSH For mormings (5am-9am) these packs are offered: * 500 MB: 500 TSH * 1.3 GB: 1,000 TSH Furthermore they offer combo packages with on-network and off-network voice allowances, SMS and a data pack as well as student packages with discounted rates for students. * APN: internet * Website: http://halotel.co.tz/ Zantel Zantel used to be the local provider on the island of Zanzibar. That's why it has a good coverage there, but had almost no coverage on the mainland. It used to belong mostly to UAE-owned Etisalad, but was sold in 2015 to Millicom who runs Tigo. In 2016 it underwent a massive network overhaul. All clients can now roam on the Tigo network for free giving it a good coverage on the mainland (coverage map). 4G/LTE started in Zanzibar on 1800 MHz (B 3) and roaming on Tigo on the continent. Both networks will be merged in 2020. Availability Their SIM card is available at the Zanzibar airport and many outlets (list) on the island and in the capital for TSH 1000 including TSH 500 credit. Data feature packages They offer these packages for data on 3G (and 4G in Dar-es-Salaam and on Zanzibar): To purchase type *149*15# or go online at Ezynet Selfcare More info * APN: znet * Website: http://www.zantel.co.tz/ 'Smile '(4G/LTE only) Smile by Smile Communication Tanzania Ltd (Smile TZ) began commercial operations in 2013. The company is a subsidiary a South African telecommunications conglomerate, who has networks in Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda too. Smile Tanzania was the first operator to launch commercial 4G/ LTE services in Tanzania using the 800 MHz frequency (band 20). They initially covered the capital only, but have expanded now to Morogoro, Arusha & Moshi, Dodoma, Mbeya and Mwaza (coverage map). No roaming on 2G or 3G is offered and Smile is not recommeded for travelling. Their usage is more stationary in lack of ADSL landlines. Their SIM card is sold in their shops (list). As 800 MHz (band 20) devices are unusual for Africa, they sell portable WiFi hotspots (Mifis) at TSH 149,000 or routers at TSH 320,000. The SIM is sold at TSH 24,000. They offer a huge variety of data packages from 1 GB at TSH 15,000 to 200 GB at TSH 1400,000 per month. Max. speed is at 21 Mbps. * APN: internet * Website: https://smile.co.tz/ 'TTCL '(4G/LTE only) TTCL for Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd. is the state-owned monopoly landline provider in the country. TTCL launched its 4G/LTE mobile data network in 2015 with a five-year rollout plan to cover all regions and main roads in the country called T-Connect. It started in Dar es Salaam on 1800 MHz FD-LTE (band 3) and 2300 MHz TD-LTE (band 40) In 2016 they announced to deploy 4G/LTE services countrywide by 2018, as the operator intends to accelerate coverage. A number of regions that will benefit from the initiative in phase one: Arusha, Iringa, Mbeya, Dodoma, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Unguja. Their products are more directed to home users in lack of a stable landline connection than to mobile internet users. More infos and SIM cards can be obtained from their offices (list). * APN: internet * Website: https://www.ttcl.co.tz/ 'Smart '(4G/TDD-LTE only) Finally Smart, owned by Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), a Kenyan-based infrastructure developer, launched mobile networks in Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi. In Tanzania they operated a 4G/LTE network based on TDD-LTE on 2300 MHz (= band 40) mainly in the capital area. Smart has shut down its mobile operations in Tanzania after submitting a business closure request in 2019. The request for an immediate closure was submitted to the watchdog in March 2019, but the regulator gave Smart a period of three months to enable customers to use up any outstanding credit.Category:Africa Category:Country Category:Airtel Category:Tigo Category:Vodacom Category:10/17